War of the Stars
by Loopstagirl
Summary: An age-old battle rages across the Tracy household. Happy birthday, Sam1!


**Disclaimer: I still don't own anything! At all. Just so not fair. *sighs* Oh well... All rights belong to their respective owners.**

**I know, back again. It's what you get for having too many birthdays! Happy birthday, Sam1! You didn't think that you would get away with nothing, did you? *cheeky grin* I dragged my muse back kicking and screaming for this! It was partly what often comes up in our conversations that made me think of it! Hope you like!**

**Hope everyone else likes as well, for that matter!**

"But Daddy, I don't want _that_ one, I want this one!"

With an impressive pout to match his tone of voice, four year old John Tracy was fixing his father with a look that almost had Jeff trembling. He may have just mastered the technique of staring down an opponent in a business meeting, but saying no to his sons? Especially when John was giving him _that_ look? Now that was a task that the businessman was finding almost impossible, a word that didn't normally feature in Jeff's vocabulary. How his wife managed it, Jeff had no idea, but at this moment in time, Lucille was being far from helpful. One hand resting lightly on the small bump that was signalling the arrival of their fourth child - it's presence only just beginning to show - her other hand was clutching tightly onto a sticky two year old. Virgil, however, was staring with wide eyes at the entertainer the store had hired, demonstrating some new toy that Jeff was desperately hoping the boys hadn't noticed yet. He wasn't looking forward to when one of them demanded that that too came home with them, not with the cost of the damn thing.

"Johnny, we already have that one!" As usual, seven year old Scott managed to beat his father in an attempt to calm down the youngster, appearing out of nowhere at John's side and taking the item back from the little boy. Immediately, John's pout grew even bigger – something Jeff didn't realise was even possible – as his hands stretched out to take it back off his big brother. Scott, however, merely lifted it higher, keeping it out of John's reach.

"Na ah, Scotty. We have different one."

"No, we don't, John." Scott said slowly, as if he was trying to explain something difficult to his little brother. Considering the item in question, however, Jeff knew that his eldest son was way out of his depth with this one. Whilst each of the boys - even Virgil - had an interest that drew their attention, it was to a depth that Jeff didn't think he had ever seen before. Considering their young ages, when someone mentioned the passion in question, the older two especially could certainly hold their own.

"Do! There's lots of them!" John responded obstinately, folding his arms across his chest in a clear imitation of his father and glaring at Scott. Smirking, Jeff found himself stepping back, part of him curious to see where this would go. Scott hated being wrong, especially when it was pointed out by either of his younger brothers, but yet John could be equally as determined, especially given the items in question. It was just a matter of who would back down first. Or who would explode first. Personally, Jeff had his money on John exploding, especially given the look on his face. Glancing over his shoulder at his wife, the father knew that Lucy knew exactly what he was thinking, a fond smile on her face as she shook her head at him in bemusement.

"We don't, Johnny," Scott continued patiently, continuing to lift the item higher as John attempted to grab it again and gesturing to the one that Jeff was still clutching loosely in his hand. "Why don't you get the one that Daddy wants you to get?"

"It's silly!" John protested, shooting his father a look over his shoulder as if he was feeling betrayed by what Jeff was holding. The look was so fierce that the father found himself almost automatically beginning to move the hand, determined to shield the object from John's piercing gaze as if worried that it might suddenly start smoking if subjected to it for too long. Scott had mastered a few looks so far, but nothing could match the intensity of his little brother's glare. Luckily, it was not a look that Jeff had seen emerge very often.

"But this one is stupid!" Scott cried, clearly at the end of his patience with his little brother's insistence.

"Boys." Lucille immediately scolded warningly, making to step forward with the realisation that her husband was feeling slightly out of his depth. She couldn't blame him though, she too remembered the first time John had been old enough to contemplate this particular dilemma, she was sure it still woke her up now. She had survived through Scott's determination to jump from the top of the stairs – even the roof one time, although she still had no idea how he made it up there – just so that he would know what it felt like to truly fly. She had even survived through Virgil discovering Scott's old colouring set and proceeding to decorate the wall, albeit it rather artistically. This, however, was something else entirely. The only thing that Lucy could hope for was that their fourth didn't have something that focused his mind so entirely. She wasn't sure if she could deal with that as well.

"Mommy!" Virgil suddenly yelled, causing his father to jump as he quickly turned to look at his youngest son. Virgil was tugging on his mother's hand somewhat frantically, finally having turned his gaze from the entertainer and onto more pressing matters. As Lucy glanced down at him, Jeff immediately knew what the problem was. Before he had the chance to use Virgil as an excuse to escape from the argument for a few moments, his wife proceeded to dump the rest of the shopping on Jeff, sweeping Virgil up into her arms as she did so.

"Come on then, trouble. You'll stay here, won't you, Jeff?" The question, however, was more of a statement as she quickly strode away, not giving Jeff a chance to voice his opinion either way. Judging by the sparkle in her eyes, however, Jeff knew that once again she had known what he had been thinking, and rather than letting her husband escape from the argument, had decided it would be best if he was the one left to deal with it. After all, she had to do it every day when Jeff was at work, it was his turn. Turning his eyes back onto the older boys, Jeff was hard pushed not to groan at the stubborn frown on John's face, matched by impatience from Scott.

"Daddy! Daddy, tell him!" Suddenly John was next to Jeff, slipping a hand into his father's free one and tugging desperately, wanting his father to make all the problems go away. Thankful that John seemed to have forgotten that it was Jeff's suggestion that had started the dispute in the first place, the father kept one hand behind his back as he crouched down so that he was on eye level with his son.

"Tell him what, Johnny?"

"Tell him it's silly!"

"Dad, it's not! Not as silly as this one!" Scott responded just as heatedly, gesturing to the object in his hand and causing his little brother to glare at him.

"Scotty stupid." John muttered vehemently under his breath. Despite desperately trying not to smile at how something so trivial could drive a wall between the normally close brothers, Jeff frowned.

"John, you don't call your brother names, do you?"

"I'm not," John protested innocently, turning wide eyes onto his father. "Didn't call Virgy anything."

"John," Jeff repeated warningly, turning his head slightly in order to hide the sparkle in his own eyes. Trust John to come up with some sort of logical excuse in order to get away with his behaviour.

"Sorry, Daddy."

"Say sorry to Scott, not me."

"But..."

"John."

"Sorry, Scotty!" John finally cried, tears building in his eyes as he realised that he had done something wrong. Or more specifically, Jeff had caught him doing something wrong. Sighing, his father made to defuse the situation before his son got too upset, but once again, Scott beat him too it.

"S'ok, Johnny," the older boy muttered, opening his arms in a clear invitation of a hug. John didn't need telling twice, shooting across the floor and flinging himself at his big brother, the argument pushed from his mind. Smirking, Jeff couldn't help but notice that as Scott's arms lowered, the object in his hand was immediately grabbed by his younger brother. Jeff knew instantly that was the only reason why John had accepted the hug so readily, his son was smart when it came to getting what he wanted.

"See, not that hard." Hearing a gentle voice from behind him, Jeff turned to find his wife and son were back, Virgil still nestled comfortable in his mother's arms, although a spark of jealously shot through him at seeing his brothers. Smiling, Jeff offered out his hands, having disposed of the accused item on the floor when he had bent down to John's level. Immediately, Virgil grinned back, his own arms stretching out to his father, and obliging, Jeff took him out of his mother's arms, hugging his son closely. There were some things that he wouldn't change for the world.

"Come on, we need to go," Lucy eventually muttered, scooping the shopping back up and offering her hand out to John. Despite enjoying every second of seeing her family together, the mother knew it would only be so long until Virgil began to feel hungry. And when her youngest son decided that he wanted food, the whole store would know about it. Pulling away from Scott, John frowned in thought as he turned towards his mother.

"We get my one?" He asked softly, eyes pleading with his mother in order to get her to agree with him and thus show his big brother that he had been wrong all along. Seeing Scott open his mouth to continue the argument once more, Jeff intervened.

"How about we get both, then Scott can have one and you can have the other, Johnny? How does that sound?"

"Jeff, you shouldn't spoil them," Lucille immediately scolded quietly, receiving an innocent grin for her trouble. A look, she couldn't help but notice, that was far too similar to the businessman's sons. No wonder Jeff didn't stand a chance against the boys; he was just as bad himself.

"Can we, Daddy?" John exclaimed, eyes finally beginning to sparkle in excitement with the knowledge that the item he had been clutching tightly ever since swiping it from Scott's hand would be coming home with him. Sighing, Lucy moved away, knowing that when any of the boys gave Jeff that look, he crumbled. If there was one thing Lucille had learnt since marrying Jeff Tracy, it was when to admit defeat.

"Course we can, kiddo. Now come on, your mom wants to go home."

TBTBTB

"Now that was what I call a tough one," John declared, sinking back into the couch next to his immediate younger brother and sighing deeply. Shooting him a sympathetic look, Virgil smiled gently.

"Not one of your easier ones, hey, John?"

"This is why Five is so much better. You don't get nearly as muddy up there."

"Unless Gordon's been up there," Scott interrupted, striding into the games room with two cases clutched in his hand, looking far more relaxed than he had been an hour ago. Not to mention he was now mud free.

"Where is he?" Virgil asked, suddenly noticing that the youngest member of the family still on earth had yet to join them.

"Talking to Al," Scott reported, causing his brothers' to exchange knowing grins. They should have known that Scott would know precisely what the younger two were up too; he seemed to automatically know these sorts of things.

"They okay?" John questioned, turning in his seat in order to look at the oldest brother. It was most unlike the Terrible Two to simply be talking, even if any other option was slightly restricted by the fact that Alan was taking his rota on Five.

"Okay, when I say talking, I mean the door is blocked."

"So in other words, planning with Al?" Virgil asked with a wry grin, sinking more comfortably back into his seat.

"Yep. Right, which one do we want?" Offering the two DVD cases up for his brothers to see, Scott grinned at the indignant look that shot over John's face.

"You two argue it out, nature calls." Virgil said quickly, pushing himself off the couch and striding from the room. "And I'll get the popcorn considering Scott blew up the microwave last time."

"I did not!" Scott yelled out after his brother, before turning back to John. "So, space-man, which one?"

"Are you really asking?"

"_Again?"_ Scott sighed, sounding more than exasperated. Placing one case down, he threw the chosen one at John's head, the astronaut's intense training meaning that he caught it with ease. Shooting his brother a grin, he slid from the couch himself, opening up the player and inserting the disk before hitching himself back on again. As Scott rounded the sofa and slipped on, immediately hugging a pillow as he navigated himself into a more comfortable position, John grinned triumphantly.

"You know I'm always going to win."

"I still think it is stupid."

"I still think you're stupid." John responded without missing a beat, nudging his brother playfully in the ribs and receiving a mock shove back. Before they could take it any further, however, Virgil reappeared, sighing deeply when he caught sight of the words scrolling across the screen.

"Again?" He asked, not realising that he was mirroring Scott's tone exactly as he nudged John along and retook his seat, instantly having the huge bowl of popcorn that had been resting in his hands snatched from him by a hungry Scott. Yanking it back again, John was now glad that he was the one in the middle, knowing that it would mean he would be able to keep control of the bowl. He was sure that there was still stuff all over the floor from the last time Scott and Virgil had decided that sharing was asking too much.

"Yep." He responded happily, swinging his feet up and letting them land with a soft flump on the stool waiting in front of him for that very reason. "You get to chose when I'm not here, meaning I get to call the shots when I am here."

"Don't know where you got that from," Scott grumbled good-naturedly, grabbing a hand of popcorn and stuffing the whole lot in his mouth at once, ignoring the raising of his eyebrows from Virgil as he watched his brother in disbelief.

"Just admit that I'm right, Scott."

"Never!"

Smirking, John shook his head fondly. He still didn't know where Scott got his insane ideas from. After all, in John's mind, Star Wars beat Star Trek any day of the week.


End file.
